Local News Now

The City Commission on Tuesday night committed to spend $130,000.00 of your money to benefit special interest groups when they voted 5-0 to support an Echo Grant application for the "Richenberg Fish Farm" at the old high school site.

Yes, this is the "fantasy zone project" that you have been assured for two years that NO CITY MONEY would be used to support. And where did they find the money? You guessed it, in the "bare bones" 2009-2010 budget that just two months ago Commissioner Jack Grasty whined could not be cut or "people would lose their jobs."

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick and Henry Frederick.

At left, Canal Street is lit up as shown in this 6:45 p.m. Wednesday photo looking east. In the middle, the lights were on throughout the day as well. At right, Christmas lights also adorn two trees at City Hall on nearby Sams Avenue. The lights cost $9,000, not including the labor to have them installed. That has not yet been tabulated. This is in addition to the $9,000 Christmas tree, which was lit up Tuesday night, but not Wednesday night. It is to be officially lit 6 p.m. Friday. The latter figure does not include the cost of labor, which also has yet to be tabulated.

Click on the attachment on the cost of the Canal Street lights as provided by the city of New Smyrna Beach through a public records request by NSBNEWS.net:

Please click the attachment to read the police reports for the Tuesday day shift:

Nov. 25, 2009: Scott R. Canfield and Courtney B. Wilson, New Smyrna Beach.

Nov. 24, 2009: Ritchie L. Martin and Amy M. Curry, Edgewater.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police are asking residents to be on the lookout for door-to-door scammers looking to make a quick buck.

Anyone seeking solicitations must have a "solicitation permit" when going door-to-door, said Sgt. Michael Brouillette, police department spokesman.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Two major things were accomplished tonight with a unanimous vote by the City Commission to spend $130,000: All but two of the buildings that housed the former high school could be razed and at least two community groups could have a new home.

Click the attachment to see police reports from overnight Sunday and Monday morning:

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 43-year-old city man was robbed of an undisclosed amount cash by a gunman on Faulkner Street, just north of Mary Avenue just before noon, New Smyrna Beach police said.

The victim, Phillip Matthew, was unhurt, police said.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick. Mark Rakowski, (far left photo) development services director, is out of a job, and Carol Hargy, (near left photo) personnel services director, has tendered her resignation for a job in Jacksonville.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Two major players in city administration are leaving the employ at City Hall: Carol Hargy, personnel director, is leaving voluntarily, but Mark Rakowski, the development services director, is out of a job involuntarily.

Rakowski's position was "eliminated," according to an unnamed source for NSBNEWS.net.

A staff member in Rakowski's office said he was out of the office and unavailable until next Monday.

The source said Rakowski "won't be back next Monday or any day after that," adding emphatically, "Rakowski is out."

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police are looking for a man with a silver handgun who threatened people living in a home on Sinnka Street before running off just before midnight Sunday.

Police identified the suspect as Dwayne Morris, 21, who is 5 feet 9 and 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.